The 18th century had great significance in American history; it incorporated concepts that rhymed with the awakening period. The era covers the stages undertaken in the American Constitution’s development and the Bill of Rights impacts. The patriots adhered to ethics that emphasized suitable approaches in agitating for the rights and adoption of changes that enhanced the development of the Constitution, hence better governance systems and society. The patriots advocated for the American Revolution; revolutions happened in series, which resulted in the developed nation with better organizational strategies. Famous names include the Founding Fathers, such as Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. But many were ordinary people who had grievances against the British. Thus, this essay discusses colonialism in the 18th century and patriots’ role in creating a stable society that would have to be governed by the rule of law.
During the Revolutionary War, Patriots were colonists who opposed British sovereignty over the provinces and favored a movement of independence for themselves. They used many methods to advance their goals, from distributing propaganda and protesting to destroying property and armed militias. Despite their efforts, the movement experienced some setbacks. This drawback resulted from several factors, including, firstly, the articles presented for Congress’s approval resulted in a war-time Confederation of States with a minimal central government (Pindano, 2021). Secondly, the procedures made official by the document to utilize by Congress later were realized to have several limitations. Thirdly, the central Government was considered very weak, resulting in the first American Government’s collapse.
The recommendations by patriots adhered to natural law and never violated government functions despite the diverse social and political variations. One would say their defining ethical arguments were human rights, consent of the governed, and no taxation without representation. Finally, one would say that the Articles and the Constitution addressed their grievances differently. The philosophies championed honored majority ideas via dependence on principles and opinions of the residents. Despite ethical considerations in agitating for their grievances, the first American Government’s formation under the Articles of Confederation failed.
The Patriots used literature to advance arguments; for example, Thomas Paine’s pamphlet outlined “Common Sense.” They used these to gain supporters for protests and even mobs. In the infamous Boston Tea Party, an assembly of Patriots attended to represent the Native American population. They then dumped barrels of tea from the East India Company into the Boston harbor to protest the trade restrictions that the King had passed to favor the said company. It is unclear if they intended these to be disguises or just a way of mocking the British.
Patriots argued that all people have certain privileges, and the Government exists to protect these privileges. And the power of this institution of power stems from the consent of the individuals it governs. This indicates that they ought not to be taxed if they do not have government representation. If the prerequisites are not met, the patriots will say that it is permissible to rise and find a new country. However, one will find that the Patriots were not always ideologically consistent. Most of them omitted African-Americans and women from this list while also limiting the rights of white men who could not afford property of their own.
The Articles of Confederation provided for lengthy amendment procedures; this led to delays in resolving issues requiring immediate action, such as tax collection. In addition, voluntary efforts by States to finance the central Government have led to shortcomings. The states were unable to make donations, and the state institute lacked the funds to maintain influential armed forces and effectively perform its functions.
The liberty to vote on the issue is outlined in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The First Constitutional provision explicitly forbids the Legislature from abrogating the right of citizens relatively peacefully to gather and to plea the Government for a redress of grievances (Pindano, 2021). The articles were aimed at creating a weak central government not to have much power over the people. The Federal Government could not resolve disputes between the individual states, much less defend itself from foreign invaders and treat its demands of other countries seriously.
The Constitution resolved this by creating a national Congress that was elected similarly to the state Congresses, an elected President, and a federal court system to rule on federal laws. It did also establish the Bill of Rights in order to curtail the state’s authority. It was done to balance the need for substantial central authority and the concern not to create another omnipotent king. Another tactic used by revolutionaries to achieve their goals was the lucrative rejection they received by refusing to pay taxes.
During the American Revolution, the Patriots used secret agents who contributed to the achievement of their goals. During emancipation, life for most people changed significantly, both socially and politically. As even more individuals received the right to vote, democratic engagement increased. Furthermore, ordinary citizens (or “new men”) played a considerable role in county and national democratic accountability.
Reference
Pindano, G. (2021). The justifiability of socio-economic rights under the Constitution of Malawi: Unbundling the right to development. Journal of Law, Society and Development, 7. Web.